Be a Voice for Youth in Foster Care

If you are passionate about helping youth in foster care graduate from high school with a plan for their future, we invite you to join us by becoming a voice for kids in foster care. Using our Advocacy Action Center, you can easily reach out to your legislators and be up to date on all of the ways you can help advocate on behalf of youth in foster care during session.

Our Legislative Achievements

Since 2001, Treehouse has led or collaborated on landmark legislation to support the educational attainment and well-being of youth in foster care. With the support of our legislative champions, we’ve worked to:

Minimalize enrollment times when students transfer schools

Improve communication and data-sharing between school systems and Children’s Administration

Encourage foster home recruitment

Simplify credit transfer for students entering new high schools

Make all youth in foster care eligible for College Bound

Improve school discipline policies for youth in foster care

Improve education planning requirements for students when discipline takes them out of school

Coordinate academic support services for youth in foster care

But with less than half of Washington State’s high school youth in foster care graduating on time, we still have work to do.

Legislative Advocacy FAQ’s

How can I help be a voice for kids in foster care?

Join our Advocacy Action Center so that you can easily reach out to your legislators and be up to date on all of the ways you can help advocate on behalf of youth in foster care during session. Sign up for our Advocacy Action Center today.

What are Treehouse’s 2017 Legislative Priorities?

This legislative session, Treehouse has the following two priorities:

Pass a state budget that renews and expands funding for the education support services that are essential for youth in foster care to experience success in school and have access to the resources and support systems that all kids need to graduate from high school with a plan for their future.View Fact Sheet

Support HB 1628/SB 5241 passing important amendments to RCW 28A.320.192 and 2012 c 163 s 7 eliminating barriers and facilitating the on-time grade level progression and graduation of students experiencing foster care and homelessness. Amendment will require schools to facilitate credit accrual for high school youth experiencing foster care or homelessness when students withdraw or transfer.View Fact Sheet

Contacting your legislators is a surprisingly quick and straightforward process. The Washington State Legislature website has a “district finder” tool that helps you easily look up your legislative district and the contact information for your representatives and senators just by typing in your address. You can also visit our Advocacy Action Center where you will find information on your legislators as well as helpful email templates to easily contact them.